Device for operating vehicle-tops



(No Model.)

B, e. & GfRAUOH & w. J. KELLY.

DEVIGE FOR OPERATING VEHIGLE TOPSL No. 489,756.

Patented Jan. -10, 1893.

TATES runes.

ATENT i EMIL G. RAUOI'I, GEORGE RAUGl-I, AND W'ALTER J. KELLY, OFMILWAUKEE,

WISCONSIN.

DEVlCE FOR OPERATING VEHICLE-TOPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,756, dated January10, 1893.

Application filed July 18, 1892. Serial No. 440,362. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EMIL G. RAUCH, GEORGE RAUCH, and WALTER J. KELLY,all citizens of the United States, and residents of Milwaukee, in thecounty of Milwaukee, and in the State of Wisconsin, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Devices for OperatingVehicle-Tops; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices foroperating vehicle tops, and said invention consists in the mattershereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating our invention:Figure 1.isaperspective View of a buggy provided with our improved top operatingdevice. Fig. 2. is a vertical cross section of the buggy bodyillustrating the manner of securing the top operating device thereto.Fig. 3. is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the device,illustrating the positions of the several parts when the top is lowered.

In said drawings:-A represents the buggy top, supported upon the usualbows BB, which are pivotally connected together at their lower ends asat b b, and pivotally supported upon suitable supporting irons b b, atthe sides of the buggy body.

0 0 represent the usual braces which engage at their upper ends with thetop A or with the bows B, in the usual manner, said braces being jointedor hinged as at c c, and pivotally engaged at their lower ends withlaterally extending posts or supports 0 c.

Levers D D are secured to opposite ends of a transverse shaft or rod Dwhich is revolubly supported in suitable bearings 01 d upon the buggybody. Eyes (1 d are formed in the free ends of the levers D D, whicheyes are arranged to engage with the lower portions of the braces G 0below the joints 0 c, as shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, and ahandle or lever D is secured to the shaft D in such a manner as tooccupy a substantially horizontal position when the parts are in therelative positions illustrated in Fig. 1. It follows from thisconstruction, that an upward pull upon the handle D will rotate seat,but the location of the transverse shaft the shaft D and the levers D Dtoward the rear, thus causing the levers D D to exert a backwardpressure upon the braces O C, so as break the braces at the joints 0 c,and lower the top in an obvious manner, until the parts assume therelative positions illustrated in Fig. 3., and the rear one of the bowsB B at each side of the vehicle, rests upon the lateral post or support0. Similarly, when the post is down, a movement of the lever D in adirection opposite to that just described, will operate to lift thelevers D D and the braces O C, from the positions shown in Fig. 3. so asto rotate the bows B B about their pivotal supports 1) b and back intothe position shown in Fig. 1. of the drawings. This operation willobviously serve to raise the top, and to bring the braces into theproper positions to sustain the top in its raised position.

As shown in the drawings, we find it convenient to arrange thetransverse shaft D above the seat frame E, at any desired point, as uponthe upper edge of the back of the 1s immaterial so far as our inventionis concerned, it being however desirable to arrange said shaft so as tocause its ends to project beyond the sides of the vehicle body adjacentto the pivotal connections between the lower ends of the braces O C andthe supports 0 0. 7 e furthermore prefer to shape each of the projectingends of the rock shaft D with a lateral bend, as. shown at 01 d thisbent portion being so arranged as to drop down out of the way of thebows when the shaft is rotated to lower the top, so as to permit therear bows to rest upon the lateral posts 0' c at opposite sides of thevehicle.

As illustrated in the drawings, the shaftD and the levers D D located atits opposite ends, may be made from a single piece or rod of metal bentinto the desired shape, although, of course, this feature ofconstruction is entirely immaterial.

The handle D may be secured to the transverse rod or shaft D at anydesired or convenient point, but in practice, we find it de= sirable toarrange said handle so as to lie adjacent to one end of the seat asshown, so as not to be in the way of the occupants of the vehicle.

By our improvement, the occupant of the vehicle is enabled to easily andquickly raise or lower the top when desired, without the necessity ofgetting out of the vehicle or reaching out around the top.

Our improved device is moreover capable of ready attachment to variousstyles of vehicles which are provided with tops adapted to be raised andlowered.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent of the United States, is:-

A device for operating vehicle tops, comprising a rock shaft adapted tobe journaled transversely upon the vehicle body, rock arms or leversextending from opposite ends of the said shaft and adapted for operativeengagement with the top braces'at opposite sides of &89,756

the vehicle top, the ends of the rock shaft being further provided withlaterally bent portions adapted to move downward below the level of thepivotal connections of the braces with the vehicle body when the top islowered, and an operating lever or handle secured to the rock-shaft foractuating the latter, sub-

